You Would, James
by SSDuelist
Summary: Fate's Rewind universe. When the Potters were deciding on a name for their second child, they had no idea it would be so difficult the second time around...


AN: I promised it would come, and it has. The origin behind Catherine's nickname, which many have questioned me about, is finally here.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Harry Potter_ or anything related to J.K. Rowling's works except for my own original characters and storylines.

...xXx...You Would, James......xXx...

...xXx...A Month Before Catherine Potter's Birth...xXx...

It was a warm afternoon in early July in the year 1981. Despite the turmoil concerning the rise of Voldemort and his evil campaign to take over the Wizarding world, there were still a few things that could lift the spirits of those persecuted by him, even like those hunted by the evil Dark Lord. Those families, which included the Longbottoms, were constantly running from persecution and had very little to be happy about. However, one of those families, the Potters, was soon expecting some good news. However, before good may come, turmoil must set up, and that was exactly what was happening in Potter Mansion at this very moment.

"Aw, come on, Lils! You're being stubborn again!" James Potter whined piteously, kneeling on the floor besides his very pregnant wife.

"You're damn right I am!" Lily Potter snapped back, "I can't believe you sometimes!"

"But Crystal is such a good name! Just think about it for a few moments, please!" James whined again.

"No, James! I'm not going to consider something that isn't really even a name! Honestly! It's a bloody object that you get out of the ground! Really, I thought you had more sense!" Lily snapped back, shifting slowly in the chair she was sitting in. She scowled at the book filled with baby names that was lying in her lap and chucked it across the room in frustration. "None of those names sound any good! It's just so hard!" Doing a complete one-eighty, she dissolved into tears, and James immediately jumped up to comfort her.

"Bloody hell...I thought the mood swings were over with..." James muttered, rubbing comforting circles on his wife's back. She sobbed softly for a few seconds but managed to get herself back under control.

"I'm sorry about that. I guess the hormones don't completely disappear until after the baby's born," Lily sniffed, wiping away a few errant tears.

"It's alright, baby. I understand," he replied softly. He got up, and Lily thought he was going to get some tissues for her, but he instead picked up the baby name book and began leafing through it again, making her shake her head in amazement. She was impressed, however, at his dedication, no matter what crazy ideas he came up with.

Lily remained seated, sipping on a nearby cup of tea every few minutes, while watching a football game that was currently on the television. James, however, walked over and laid down on the couch, remaining glued to the book. It made Lily wonder why he couldn't have been that attached to a book while they were still in school.

After five minutes of looking for names, James began to look frustrated as well and shut the book loudly. However, as if a lightbulb came on, his expression brightened, and he exclaimed, "I've got it!"

Not exactly fazed by his revelation, Lily looked mildly back at him and asked, "Got what? Is it something decent this time?"

James gave her a peevish glare and replied, "Yes, it's decent, your highness. I guarantee you'll like it. How does your mother's name, Catherine, sound?"

Taken aback by his suggestion, Lily didn't respond immediately, looking surprised and close to tears. James knew this would be a sensitive subject due to the recent news of the deaths of Lily's parents. About two weeks earlier, Death Eaters, somehow finding out about the whereabouts of the Evans household, broke through the Fidelius Charm and other enchantments placed upon it and brutally murdered Robert and Catherine Evans. The Order was still working on piecing together the heinous crime and how the Death Eaters could have possibly broken through such powerful magic and how they discovered the locations of the Evans' in the first place. The Secret Keeper, James and Lily's friend Peter Pettigrew, had no clue how it could have happened, and a Legilimens within the Order ran a test on him, but nothing conclusive came up.

"James." The male Potter snapped out of his personal flashback and turned his attention back to his pregnant wife, who looked extremely happy. "I'd love to name her Catherine. It fits perfectly."

"Great!" James exclaimed, running over to plant a kiss on his wife's cheek. He ran into the kitchen and quickly returned with a bowl of crisps. As he threw himself back onto the couch, he said, "I can still give my baby girl 'Crissy' as a nickname!"

Lily mentally rewound what James had just said and made sure she heard him right. When she was sure she did, she slapped her head in exasperation and said slowly, "James...dear...Crissy is not a shortened version of Catherine."

James looked at her oddly and responded through a mouthful of crisps, "Why naw, Wils?"

"It just isn't," Lily replied patiently, shaking her finger, "If you want a nickname for Catherine, it should be Cathy or Cassie or Catie. Maybe Casey if you want to be a tad extreme, but not Crissy."

James looked like he wanted to argue, but he let the rising argument fade from his persona and calmed down. When he was fine, he mumbled, "But I wanted to name someone after her..."

"Her? Who's 'her?'" Lily asked sharply, suddenly looking very angry with a flushed face and furious expression.

James looked at the floor and replied meekly, "Um...well...she was a childhood friend of mine. She was a Muggle who lived a few miles away in the village. She never told me her real name, but she told me to call her Crissy. She was the only real friend I had before Hogwarts. I lost contact with her after I started there. I think I remember hearing that her family had moved to America during our first year there."

He stopped talking, shut his eyes, and waited for the explosion from his emotional wife, but it never came. When he looked back up, he saw Lily shaking her head at him. She said ruefully, "You would, James..."

Her husband looked indignant and said, "Well, sorry. I just thought it would be a nice statement to a good friend of mine from a long time ago, and Crystal was the only name I could think of that worked."

Lily laughed and said, "I'm kidding, James. It's wonderful that you would do that for her. It is sad, though, that you drifted away from someone who was such a good friend to you."

James shrugged, "Well, I met you, and you were so bloody beautiful I couldn't concentrate on any other girls. It's not all my fault. You're partially to blame, too, you know, for being so damn gorgeous."

Lily rolled her eyes, though a faint blush appeared across her cheeks. She said, "You're too much, you know that?"

"I do my best," he replied cheekily, "So it's settled then?"

Lily nodded, taking another sip of tea, "Yes, our baby girl will be named Catherine 'Crissy' Gwendolyn Potter. Wonderful." She got up, with more than a little effort, and walked over to her husband, planting a kiss right on his lips. James smiled goofily and helped his wife sit down on the couch, where they sat down and watched the remainder of the football game.

...xXx...

AN: A poke at my previous name choice for Catherine, if you have been with the story from the start. I hope this provides a decent explanation.


End file.
